Scottish Executive

Biodiversity

Eleanor Scott (Highlands and Islands) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding it is making available to local authorities to enable them to carry out their duty under the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 to further biodiversity.

Lewis Macdonald: The duty under the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 does not give local authorities new functions. Instead it requires them to review the way they carry out their existing functions, to maximise the benefits for biodiversity. Many public bodies, including most local authorities, are already actively engaged with biodiversity, and COSLA agreed during the passage of the act that for local authorities the implications of implementing the duty should be broadly cost neutral and should not require significant new resources. Most local authorities already receive funding from Scottish Natural Heritage to support local biodiversity officer posts, and a number of local authorities have also been awarded grants under the new Biodiversity Action Grants Scheme, which we launched recently to support positive action for biodiversity.

Crime

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many criminal networks were disrupted in each year since 1999, broken down by police board area.

Cathy Jamieson: It is not possible to provide a break down of disruptions to criminal networks by police board or police force areas as many networks, by their very nature, tend to operate on a national or international basis.

  The Scottish Drug Enforcement Agency (SDEA) publishes Scotland-wide figures in its annual reports. Since its launch in 2000, operations involving the SDEA and the Scottish police service have led to the disruption of the following numbers of criminal networks.

  

 
2000-01
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05*


Criminal Networks Disrupted
50
73
114
96
48



  Note: *Figure for 2004-05 is for the period up to end-September 2004 taken from the SDEA’s Interim Report.

Defence

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to Her Majesty’s Government regarding the recommendations of the Council of Scottish Colonels on the future structure of Scotland's regiments.

Allan Wilson: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of defence issues including Scottish Regiments. Operational matters in the armed forces, however, are the responsibility of the Ministry of Defence.

Dental Health

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-8282 by Malcolm Chisholm on 26 May 2004, when it will publish the conclusions of Towards Better Oral Health in Children ; what the reasons are for the delay in publication, and whether there have been any longer delays in the publication of other reports on consultations and, if so, which consultations.

Mr Andy Kerr: The outcome of our consultation on measures to improve the oral health of children in Scotland will be announced as soon as we have completed our consideration of the many responses we have received.

  Information about the interval between consultations and the announcement of their outcome is not routinely collected and collated.

Dentistry

Mr Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to provide adequate dental care on the Isle of Lewis.

Rhona Brankin: Responsibility for the overall provision of NHS dental services on the Isle of Lewis rests with NHS Western Isles and the board is considering a number of options for the provision of such services in the area.

Domestic Abuse

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding is available for the Edinburgh Domestic Violence Probation Project; when, and how, the project will be evaluated; on what basis funding is allocated to the project; whether such funding will be renewed; whether any action will be taken to ensure that the project can continue and manage the numbers being referred to it; how many offenders have been referred to the project in each year since it started, and when all the places on the project were filled.

Hugh Henry: In financial year 2004-05, the Lothian and Scottish Borders Consortium has been allocated grant of £173,141 for its Domestic Violence Probation Project (DVPP). This funding is provided through Section 27 of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968. Indicative funding has been provided on a three year basis. As part of the strategic planning process, the consortium has submitted its plan to the Executive for the period beginning April 2005. The target is to inform the consortium and all other groupings/unitary authorities of funding for 2005-06 by end January 2005. Funding decisions in respect of such programmes as DVPP will be determined on the evidence of effectiveness and value for money within the level of available national resources.

  A report of an evaluation, sponsored by the Scottish Office and the Home Office, was published in 1996. The report was positive, concluding that the project was considered to be more successful than other forms of court disposal in reducing the frequency of violence. Since then, the consortium has continued to monitor and evaluate the project, primarily through consultation with the partners of the men on the programme.

  There have been 58 new referrals in 2001-02; 61 in 2002-03, and 61 in 2003-04, rising to 77, 79 and 67 men if those already on the programme are included. In the period from April to August 2004, there were 24 new orders, reflecting a greater proportion of men assessed as suitable, as a result of the increased use of risk assessment and risk management procedures.

  The notional working capacity has recently been increased to 50 men and their partners at any one point in time. The project is currently working with 60 men following imposition of a quota last July when the number of men receiving a service was 63. The project is currently carrying one vacant post which it expects to fill next month.

  The consortium has submitted a bid to the Executive to increase the capacity of the scheme to approximately 70. This bid will be considered alongside bids from other groupings/unitary authorities as part of the overall funding proposals for 2005-06.

  In addition, the Executive is supporting the DVPP which is working in partnership with the SACRO Falkirk Domestic Violence Project and the CHANGE project to develop a domestic violence programme that will be submitted in 2005-06 for accreditation.

Drug Misuse

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to address the issue of methadone users who continue to take illegal substances.

Hugh Henry: Decisions on treatment interventions and options are for individual patients and their medical and social care professionals. We published a summary of the Drug Treatment  and Rehabilitation Review on 27 October 2004, in the form of an action plan which contains several recommendations aimed at Improving Service Quality and Consistency available at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/health/drugrehabreview.pdf , including action to update clinical guidelines dealing with issues such as methadone prescribing.

Economy

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how the new practice of re-indexing GDP performance at the year 2001 facilitates and improves the long-term comparison of Scottish economic performance with other countries and other parts of the United Kingdom.

Mr Jim Wallace: Re-indexing GDP performance to the year 2001 is an integral part of the chain-linking methodology whereby industry weights are updated on an annual basis.

  Chain-linking methodology is recommended by Eurostat as the preferred methodology for calculation of GDP volume indices and, on this basis, it is used by Scotland and the UK. Re-weighting the index each year improves the accuracy of the GDP estimates for both Scotland and the UK, and therefore improves the comparability between the two series.

  Comparisons with other parts of the UK are not possible as quarterly GDP is not produced for any other region of the UK.

Economy

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why the indexing method used in reporting of GDP is not used in the calculation of other government statistics such as hospital waiting lists, life expectancy and population movement.

Mr Jim Wallace: The use of index numbers is an appropriate method where the subject being reported on is a complex grouping of a range of different types of activity. The indexing method used in the reporting of GDP was developed to be consistent with the UK methodology. The GDP index is constructed from component proxy indices weighted together by their relative value added size. Producing the results in indexed form is considered the most appropriate way of presenting the results.

  Other Government statistics are based on very different types of data sources, some administrative, some census and some sample based. In each case, the most appropriate methodology is used for timeseries reporting purposes. Where these are National Statistics, as with the GDP, these methodologies are consulted on regularly, and any opportunities for improvement in terms of data sources, or methodological advances, are explored and exploited.

Economy

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will produce gross national product data for Scotland.

Mr Jim Wallace: A feasibility study was carried out into the possibility of producing an estimate of gross national product for Scotland (also referred to as gross national income) in 2002. The final report, which recommended that the development of this estimate should not be pursued, is available on the Scottish Executive website via the following link:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/scotstats/committees/economy/meetings/sescg912003.pdf.

Education

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-9606 by Euan Robson on 3 August 2004, what the cost is per child to attend as a (a) day and (b) residential pupil at each specialist school.

Peter Peacock: Attendance at these schools is free. Information on the costs of providing different categories of place at such schools is not held centrally.

Elderly People

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what continued assistance will be provided to support the development of the Scottish Helpline for Older People and enable older people to get the answers they need as quickly as possible, in line with its initiative on improving the quality and consistency of information, announced by the Deputy Minister for Communities on 11 March 2004.

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what support it will provide over the next three years to enable the development of a partnership and consortium-led approach in developing its initiative on accessing information for older people, announced by the Deputy Minister for Communities on 11 March 2004.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive has provided a grant of £125,000 from the Improving Public Service Delivery Fund to develop a consortium of key organisations working to improve information for older people. Although we have had meetings with Age Concern to discuss the funding position, no application has yet been received for further funding. Any application for funding will of course be considered very carefully.

Europe

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its response was to the European Commission’s consultation which ended on 31 March 2004 on the working time regulations in relation to the opt-out for doctors' on-call time, and whether it will publish the response.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Executive made no formal individual response to the Commission consultation on the working time regulations but has been fully involved in contributing to the UK response.

Fuel Poverty

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people were defined as living in fuel poverty in each of the last five years, expressed also as a percentage of the total population.

Malcolm Chisholm: According to the Scottish House Condition Survey 1996, 738,000 households lived in fuel poverty which made up approximately 35% of the total housing stock. The Scottish House Condition Survey 2002 showed that 286,000 households lived in fuel poverty, approximately 13% of the total housing stock. The Scottish House Condition Survey is the only source we have for reliably measuring fuel poverty.

Fuel Poverty

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what estimate it has made of how many households are likely to fall into fuel poverty as a result of price increases announced by energy suppliers.

Malcolm Chisholm: The impact of particular price rises will depend on the number of customers affected by the price rise, the energy efficiency of their properties and their household income. The interplay of these factors makes it impossible for us to assess the impact of each price rise in isolation. The Fuel Poverty in Scotland Report for the Scottish House Condition Survey estimated that an across the board rise of 5% would increase the number of fuel poor households by 30,000, assuming that incomes and household energy efficiency remained static.

Fuel Poverty

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many households are in fuel poverty.

Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer to S2W-11607 and S2W-11715, on 10 November 2004 and 9 November 2004 respectively. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Fuel Poverty

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact increased fuel charges will have on the eradication of fuel poverty by 2007.

Malcolm Chisholm: We have committed to eradicate fuel poverty in Scotland as far as reasonably practicable by 2016. Increases in energy prices will make it more difficult to achieve the target. The impact of particular price rises will depend on the number of customers affected by the price rise, the energy efficiency of their properties and their household income. The interplay of these factors makes it impossible for us to assess the impact of each price rise in isolation. The Fuel Poverty in Scotland Report for the Scottish House Condition Survey estimated that an across the board rise of 5% would increase the number of fuel poor households by 30,000, assuming that incomes and household energy efficiency remained static.

G8 Summit

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on behalf of businesses and organisations in the Perthshire and Kinross area to ensure that products and services for the 2005 G8 Summit at Gleneagles are sourced as locally as possible.

Mr Tom McCabe: The Scottish Executive and its agencies are working closely with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to promote the interests of local businesses. They are identifying local suppliers and keeping businesses informed of procurement and sponsorship opportunities.

G8 Summit

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what role the First Minister will play in the 2005 G8 Summit.

Mr Tom McCabe: Plans for the First Minister’s involvement at the G8 summit are under discussion and announcements will be made in due course.

Health

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-10810 by Malcolm Chisholm on 30 September 2004, for which NHS boards is such information available and how many children in each such board were classified as clinically obese in each of the last five years, expressed also as a percentage of the child population in each board and showing the percentage change on a year-on-year basis.

Mr Andy Kerr: Although the information is not available in the exact format requested I have provided the information that is readily available through the Information Services Division. This information has been provided in two tables that provide data on High Body Mass Index and the number of children that have been examined in each participating NHS board. The information is available from the Parliamentary Information Centre (Bib. number 34303). Further data have also been are published in the NHS Quality Improvement Scotland Report, Clinical Outcome Indicators, Clinical Outcomes Group, November 2003. This report shows that of 12-year-olds in Scotland, 33% were overweight, 18% obese and 10-11% severely obese.

Health

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-10810 by Malcolm Chisholm on 30 September 2004, how it will obtain such information from NHS boards that have not submitted data.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive will be producing guidance for the implementation as set out in the publication, Health for All  Children available on the website:

  http://www.health-for-all-children.co.uk/ which will provide NHS boards with the steps that will be introduced to monitor obesity in children and young people.

Health

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-9905 by Malcolm Chisholm on 9 September 2004, whether it will provide the table, hospital beds by specialty, in electronic form.

Mr Andy Kerr: An electronic copy of Bib. number 33661 has been made available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre.

Health

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-11108 by Mr Andy Kerr on 25 October 2004, how it will ensure that heart attack patients live no more than 12 miles from an accident and emergency unit in order to increase their chances of survival, as indicated in research findings.

Mr Andy Kerr: We continue to work to increase the chances of survival for heart attack patients by recognising that care for patients with life threatening conditions does not need to begin in a hospital setting, but can begin where the attack takes place. For many such patients, that care will be provided by paramedic staff from the Scottish Ambulance Service as soon as an ambulance arrives. Paramedics are trained and equipped to use defibrillators and administer "clot busting" drugs to patients at the scene, significantly increasing the probability of survival.

  The Scottish Executive has invested an extra £16.5 million in the ambulance service over the past two years, enabling it to deploy 240 more paramedics across Scotland, and make further progress towards its target of reaching 75% of Category A (life threatening) calls within eight minutes by 2008.

  Consequently, the issue of distance from and therefore time to reach hospital accident and emergency units is no longer the most important consideration in treating patients who suffer heart attacks.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many podiatry patients have been treated in (a) the community and (b) hospital in each of the last five years.

Mr Andy Kerr: The available information showing the number of new podiatry patients treated in Scotland is presented in the table:

  NHSScotland New Podiatry Patients

  

 
Patients Treated Hospital1
Patients Treated Community2


1999
69,715
424,418


2000
61,151
424,808


2001
60,102
437,478


2002
58,928
431,232


2003
54,651
 445,068p


2004
 57,088p
n/a



  Source: ISD Scotland Forms (ISD(S)1, ISD(S)8.

  PProvisional.

  Notes:

  1. Year ending March.

  2. Year ending December.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many podiatric surgeons are currently being trained in Scotland.

Mr Andy Kerr: Twenty students have registered for the first year of the recently introduced MSc in the theory of podiatric surgery being run jointly by Glasgow Caledonian University and Queen Margaret University College.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what provision is made to ensure that children are screened to detect foot problems and help prevent conditions that develop as a result of defective and abnormal gait.

Mr Andy Kerr: There is currently no national screening programme for the detection of foot problems or abnormal gait in children. The most recent Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health review of childhood screening and surveillance activity found little evidence to support a formal screening programme for defective or abnormal gait. However, a check of the hips is part of the general physical examination of all children within the first 24 hours of birth and at six to eight weeks. Health professionals will also explore any cause for concern in the course of their regular contact with children and their families. Information about local practice is not held centrally.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-30724 by Malcolm Chisholm on 12 November 2002, whether any patients receive a daily dose greater than 120mg of methadone and, if so, how many.

Mr Andy Kerr: The information requested is not held centrally.

Higher Education

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the drop-out rates of students have been for each university in each of the last 20 years.

Mr Jim Wallace: There is no single measure that captures the "drop-out rate". The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) has published a range of indicators relating to student retention within the higher education system, since 1996-97. The table below reports data on the performance indicator "Non-continuation following year of entry", published annually by HESA (formerly published by the Higher Education Funding Council for England). It shows the percentages of entrants to full-time degree courses who are no longer in higher education in the year following their entry into higher education. However, this indicator does not give information on the relatively small percentages of students who leave higher education in the years after their first year.

  Also, some of the individuals who leave in the first year will return to higher education after a year out and HESA publishes an indicator containing those data (in Table 4 of their performance indicator data). Further information on this and other higher education performance indicators can be obtained via the following link http://www.hesa.ac.uk/pi/.

  Percentage of Full-Time First Degree Entrants no Longer in Higher Education Following Year of Entry to Institution

  

 
1996-97
1997-98
1998-99
1999-2000
2000-01
2001-02


All Scottish Institutions
10
9
10
10
10
11


University of Aberdeen
9
10
9
11
11
9


University of Abertay Dundee
17
12
19
13
15
13


Bell College
-
-
-
-
-
28


University of Dundee
9
8
10
11
10
13


University of Edinburgh
5
5
4
6
4
5


Edinburgh College of Art
6
4
11
10
9
12


University of Glasgow
8
6
7
9
8
9


Glasgow Caledonian University
16
15
16
19
14
14


Glasgow School of Art
4
5
5
8
6
7


Heriot-Watt University
9
7
8
8
10
11


Moray House Institute of Education
7
-
-
-
-
-


Napier University
19
8
11
8
15
18


Northern College of Education
10
9
12
12
-
-


University of Paisley
18
17
20
19
18
19


Queen Margaret College
11
8
10
10
11
10


Robert Gordon University
14
13
13
14
11
11


Royal Scottish Academy of Music & Drama
7
2
10
5
5
9


Scottish College of Textiles
10
-
-
-
-
-


University of St Andrews
4
4
4
2
3
4


St Andrew's College of Education
13
9
-
-
-
-


University of Stirling
5
5
7
8
8
6


University of Strathclyde
7
7
8
9
9
10


UHI Millennium Institute
-
-
-
-
-
37



  Source: Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) & Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA)

  Notes: Missing values are due to following:

  In 1998-99 Moray House merged with the University of Edinburgh.

  In 1998-99 The Scottish College of Textiles merged with Heriot-Watt University.

  In 1999-2000 St Andrews College of Education merged with the University of Glasgow.

  In 2000 Bell College was awarded HEI (Higher Education Institution) status.

  In 2001-02 Northern College of Education merged with the University of Aberdeen and the University of Dundee.

  Data on higher education activity at the eight partner colleges of the UHI Millennium Institute were included in HESA data from 2001-02.

Hospital-Acquired Infection

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to legislate for the inclusion of MRSA and other such infections as causes of death on death certificates.

Mr Andy Kerr: The General Register Office for Scotland (GROS) codes causes of death recorded by the certifying doctor following the Tenth Revision of the World Health Organisation (WHO) International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD10). Currently, there is no specific code for MRSA, although there are codes for less specific staphylococcus infections, including staphylococcus aureus. WHO has approved the use of more detailed optional codes to identify antibiotic resistance. These new codes will be introduced from January 2006 and will be used by GROS.

Housing

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many houses are scheduled to be built on land owned by the Forestry Commission in each of the next five years.

Lewis Macdonald: Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) currently proposes to build one FCS house on the national forest estate, at Glencroe, near Ardgartan.

  In addition, in December last year, ministers asked FCS to work with Communities Scotland and local housing trusts to identify sites within the national forest estate that may be suitable for affordable housing. This initiative has identified forty potential sites.

Housing

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when Forestry Commission Scotland will bring forward a community purchase scheme; how many houses such a scheme will aim to provide, and when such houses are expected to be available for occupation.

Lewis Macdonald: In December last year, ministers asked Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) to work with Communities Scotland, registered social landlords, some local authorities and local housing trusts to identify sites within the national forest estate that may be suitable for affordable housing. This exercise has identified forty potential sites but it is too early to estimate the number of houses that may be built or when they may be available for occupation.

  Ministers also asked FCS to prepare a draft community purchase scheme in respect of the national forest estate. Once this has been completed, FCS will undertake a public consultation exercise about the details of the scheme.

Housing

Scott Barrie (Dunfermline West) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance is available to key workers within the public sector to obtain property in the socially rented sector or to buy so that they can take up employment opportunities.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Executive considered as part of its Affordable Housing review whether there was a case for any specific housing support for defined key workers. It was considered better to think in terms of house prices, the levels of incomes necessary to purchase a house and the difficulties experienced by households on low or moderate income wanting to buy a home.

  The Executive is providing assistance to workers to gain access to housing through a number of areas, including:

  expansion of the Low Cost Home Ownership programme, operated by Communities Scotland, which provides funding for developments in disadvantaged communities to replace or improve poor quality housing and also in areas where demand exceeds supply or where market prices are beyond the reach of local or average incomes;

  development of a range of new flexible grant mechanisms, based on the concept of shared equity, particularly aimed at increasing availability of affordable housing;

  discretion for landlords to offer priority to housing allocation to incoming workers essential to an area, subject to the requirements in the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001;

  participation in the development of a UK-wide mobility scheme, based on existing housing mobility schemes, which has the added benefit of offering employment as well as housing opportunities for people who wish to move around the UK, and

  encouraging local authorities and Registered Social Landlords to develop Common Housing Registers within each local authority area across Scotland. Common Housing Registers will provide a single route of access to social rented housing within a local authority area.

Housing

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many local authorities have applied for pressurised area status as it applies to social housing.

Malcolm Chisholm: One local authority has applied for designation of housing areas as pressured under section 45 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001.

Housing

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many local authorities have written to it to express concern regarding the impact that the right to buy scheme has on the availability of affordable social housing.

Malcolm Chisholm: During the Affordable Housing review, two local authorities wrote to the Executive and made reference to right to buy amongst other issues raised. A third Authority, South Ayrshire, has applied for pressured area status under section 45 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001.

MMR Vaccine

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of scientific research published in the Journal of Paediatric Ne urology, current issue, volume 2, number 3, by Paul Richard Dyken, MD, MLA, BS. Director of the USA/World SSPE and of the Institute for Research in Childhood Neurodegenerative Diseases, Mobile, Alabama, U.S.A., which details the mechanism by which the attenuated measles element of the MMR vaccine can cause measles-induced neuroautistic encephalopathy in a sub-set of children, what plans it has to replicate this research and reintroduce single vaccines as a choice for parents who do not wish their children to have the triple MMR vaccine.

Mr Andy Kerr: The weight of evidence, from studies around the world, confirms that MMR remains the safest and most effective way to protect children from these diseases and fails to support claims of links with autism, bowel disease or measles-induced neuroautistic encephalopathy.

  The Executive has no plans to change the current policy in relation to MMR vaccine, on which it is advised by the UK Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation.

Meat Industry

Eleanor Scott (Highlands and Islands) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are equivalent grants to those available to farmers for organic conversion of abattoirs, cutting rooms, butchers, tanneries, woollen mills, dairies and other processors of organic livestock products.

Ross Finnie: Conversion or upgrading of abattoirs and food processing premises to meet organic standards are eligible for support under the Agriculture Processing and Marketing Grant Scheme. Applications are considered on a competitive basis by an independent review panel.

Midwifery

Colin Fox (Lothians) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many community midwives served in the Lothians area in the six months prior to maternity services being moved to the new Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, expressed in full-time-equivalent terms; what ratio of community midwives to women of childbearing age this figure represented, and what the staffing complement of community midwives was during that six-month period and how many of these posts were unfilled.

Mr Andy Kerr: At 30 September 2001, there were 40.9 whole-time equivalent community midwives in NHS Lothian. Using 2001 mid-year population estimates there were 22.8 community midwives per 100,000 women aged 15 to 44.

  Information on community midwifery vacancies is not available at 30 September 2001.

Midwifery

Colin Fox (Lothians) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many community midwives serve the Lothians area, expressed in full-time-equivalent terms; what ratio of community midwives to women of childbearing age this figure represents, and what the staffing complement of community midwives is and how many of these posts are currently unfilled.

Mr Andy Kerr: At 31 March 2004, there were 41.1 whole-time equivalent (WTE) community midwives and 2.0 WTE vacancies in NHS Lothian. Using 2003 mid-year population estimates there are 23.1 community midwives per 100,000 women aged 15 to 44.

NHS Hospitals

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients were treated at the Dumbarton Joint Hospital in each of the last three years, broken down by specialty.

Mr Andy Kerr: This information is not held centrally in the format requested.

NHS Hospitals

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average population size is that is served by a district general hospital.

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the average population size served by a district general hospital has changed since 1999.

Mr Andy Kerr: The population size served by individual hospitals across Scotland cannot be precisely defined in order to allow an average to be calculated.

  General acute hospitals provide a range of services to patients from various geographic areas which are not necessarily close to the hospital. Factors affecting the patients seen in a hospital setting include the specialist services provided and the availability of transport links.

NHS Hospitals

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what level of training domestic assistants receive in hospitals before being delegated responsibility for feeding patients who are too unwell to feed themselves.

Mr Andy Kerr: The feeding of patients is an operational issue for local NHS health boards. In general domestic assistants are not involved in the feeding of patients.

  However, training for domestic staff and other ancillary staff includes the principles of safe food hygiene and some NHS boards have trained domestic assistants to become ward hostesses. This role is intended to provide a supporting role, working with trained nurses and health care support workers to meet the nutritional needs of patients. Common elements of this role are the distribution and collection of menus and meal trays to patients.

  The Scottish Executive has funded the development and delivery of an open learning programme on nutrition for 11,000 healthcare clinical support staff in NHSScotland. This covers understanding basic nutrition, factors affecting food choice, common health problems in elderly people and their impact on nutritional needs, understanding basic nutrition, and what can be done to optimise nutritional care. NHS boards are rolling this programme out to all health care clinical support staff that assist patients to eat and drink.

NHS Pay

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken to ensure that no staff were disadvantaged as a result of Agenda for Change.

Mr Andy Kerr: The UK agreement under Agenda for Change provides salary protection up to 2011 at the latest for a minority of cases where pay before assimilation will be above pay under the new system. My predecessor, Malcolm Chisholm gave an undertaking in March 2003 that this "marked-time protection" would be extended in Scotland for so long as was necessary to ensure that no existing NHSScotland staff would suffer a reduction in their salary as a result of Agenda for Change.

NHS Pay

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive when results of negotiations with UNISON regarding Agenda for Change will be published.

Mr Andy Kerr: Negotiations on Agenda for Change have been conducted at the Shadow Executive of the new NHS Staff Council, a partnership body involving the four UK Health Departments, employer representatives and health unions including UNISON.

  The results of these negotiations i.e. the UK agreement on Agenda for Change was published in August 2004 and is available on the web at: www.show.scot.nhs.uk/sehd/paymodernisation.

NHS Staff

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that trained doctors from other countries are familiar with NHS protocols and administrative procedures prior to taking up consultant and other posts in the NHS.

Mr Andy Kerr: Any doctor undertaking work in Scotland or the rest of the United Kingdom must be registered with the General Medical Council. Appointment procedures are designed to ensure that doctors are fit for purpose for the particular post to which they are appointed. It is an essential component of the recruitment process by NHS Scotland boards to ensure that doctors from other countries have a full and complete induction process which would embrace NHS protocols and administrative procedures.

NHS Staff

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many obstetricians were trained in each of the last five years.

Mr Andy Kerr: The route to being able to apply for consultant posts within obstetrics and gynaecology is through attainment of the Certificate of Completion of Specialist Training (CCST) by Specialist Registrars (SpRs).

  NHS Education for Scotland are responsible for overseeing the management of the training programmes. The following table provides a breakdown, by postgraduate deanery, of the number of SpRs who have completed their training.

  Number of Trainees Completing Training in Scotland (I.E. Certificate Of Completion Of Specialist Training) - 1 October 1999 - 30 September 2004

  

Specialty
Date CCST awarded


 
01.10.99 - 30.09.2000
01.10.2000 - 30.09.01
01.10.01 - 30.09.02
01.10.02 - 30.09.03
01.10.23 –
30.09.04
 


Obstetrics and Gynaecology
 
 
 
 
 
 


East
3
0
1
0
1
 


North
3
2
1
4
1
 


S East
3
3
0
2
6
 


West
9
3
4
6
5
Overall total


 Total
18
8
6
12
13
57



  Source: NHS Education for Scotland.

NHS Staff

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-11034 by Mr Andy Kerr on 25 October 2004, which agencies each NHS employer engages with to meet service needs at a local level.

Mr Andy Kerr: This is a matter for NHS employers who are responsible for the planning and delivery of a range of services and for ensuring a competent workforce to deliver these.

NHS Staff

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the per mile road allowance for NHS board employees has been in each year since 1997, broken down by NHS board.

Mr Andy Kerr: This information is not available centrally in the detail requested but may be obtained from individual NHS boards. The names and addresses of all NHS boards are available on the Scottish Health on the Web website at www.show.scot.nhs.uk .

NHS Staff

Mrs Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what exams people from overseas with medical qualifications are required to sit before they can practise in Scotland; how these requirements are determined, and when they were last reviewed.

Mr Andy Kerr: Any doctor wishing to work in the UK must be registered with the General Medical Council (GMC). The arrangements for obtaining registration with the GMC differ for European Economic Area (EEA) and non-EEA doctors. By virtue of mutual recognition arrangements contained in EC law, EEA nationals with EEA medical qualifications do not need to undergo any exam in order to register with the GMC and take up medical practice in the UK. Doctors from outside the EEA who wish to register must, among other things, provide the GMC with objective evidence of their capability for practice and evidence of their proficiency in English.

  There are several different types of evidence of capability for practice that the GMC will accept. However, the majority of non-EEA medical graduates are required to pass the GMC’s own Professional and Linguistics Assessment Board (PLAB) test. This is a test of professional knowledge and skills designed to test the ability of international doctors to work safely in a first appointment in the UK as a senior house officer in the NHS.

  All non-EEA doctors are also required to satisfy the GMC of their proficiency in English by achieving a satisfactory score in the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam. This exam is not administered by the GMC but by the British Council on behalf of Cambridge English for speakers of Other Languages. EC law precludes the language testing by the GMC of doctors from the EEA.

  The requirements for registration including entry to general and specialist practice are determined by the GMC, The Specialist Training Authority (STA) and the Joint Committee on Postgraduate Training for General Practice (JCPTGP). The latter two are to be replaced by the new Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board. The requirements for the PLAB test are set by the GMC. The PLAB test is governed by a board and panels whose role includes recommending changes to the examination. In addition to this, there was a major external review of the test in 1999. Another review has just been completed and a report will be issued to the council on 30 November 2004. Although the GMC has no input into the design or running of the IELTS exam, the GMC does determine the level of achievement in the test that doctors must reach before they are eligible for registration.

NHS Staff

Mrs Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what support is given to people from overseas to assist them through the process of obtaining the required medical qualifications before they can practise in Scotland and how many people have completed the exams in each of the last five years.

Mr Andy Kerr: The emphasis is on ensuring that overseas doctors have the required information before they leave their home country and indeed to undertake any assessment there, where possible. Both the British Council and the General Medical Council (GMC), often supplemented by the Royal Colleges, provide extensive information on what may be required and continue to do so once the doctor comes to the UK. It is emphasised that satisfying registration and examination requirements will not entitle the doctor to employment in the NHS in either a training grade or a career grade. Appointments are made in open competition.

  Information on the number of overseas people completing exams to obtain the required medical qualifications to practice in Scotland is not held centrally by the Scottish Executive. The website for the GMC provides statistical information on the numbers of doctors registered with them. The number of non-UK doctors who first obtained registration with the GMC is provided in Table 1. As part of the registration arrangements, all overseas doctors must undertake a Professional and Linguistic Assessment Board (PLAB) test with the GMC, unless they meet clear criteria for exemption. The number of PLAB test places for the last five years is provided in Table 2. The Specialist Training Authority confirm the total number of CCSTs awarded together with the number of overseas doctors being added to the Specialist Register and who have not completed training in the UK, as provided in Table 3.

  Table 1: Doctors Registered with the GMC in the past Five Years

  

Year
Non-UK
UK First Time
Total


1999
4,492
4,300
8,792


2000
4,646
4,450
9,096


2001
5,143
4,279
9,422


2002
6,830
4,404
11,234


2003
13,926
4,730
18,656



  Table 2: PLAB Test Places in the Past Five Years

  

Year
Part 1
Part 2


1999
3,608
1,187


2000
3,440
1,349


2001
4,682
2,031


2002
8,306
3,714


2003
12,513
6,580



  Table 3: CCSTs Awarded in the Past Five Years

  

Year
Total CCSTs Awarded
Number Awarded to Overseas Doctors


1999-2000
2,428
306


2000-01
2,558
252


2001-02
2,520
245


2002-03
2,818
356


2003-04
2,738
462

NHS Waiting Lists

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive in which specialities availability status code 3 has been given in the last year.

Mr Andy Kerr: The specific information required is not available centrally.

  Information on the numbers of patients with availability status code 3, and the specialties in which they are waiting treatment, is however available from quarterly waiting list census data. On 30 June 2004, patients on the inpatient and day case waiting list with an availability status code 3 were awaiting treatment in the specialties of cardiology, ear, nose and throat, gastroenterology, general medicine, general surgery, gynaecology, ophthalmology, oral surgery, orthopaedics, plastic surgery, surgical paediatrics and urology.

NHS Waiting Times

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average length of time is that a patient with an availability status code has to wait for in-patient/day case treatment, broken down by NHS board area.

Mr Andy Kerr: The information requested is not available centrally because retrospective waiting times information does not separately identify patients with availability status codes.

  Patients with availability status codes do not have a maximum waiting times guarantee. Patients on the inpatient/day case waiting list may have an availability status codes are applied if they cannot attend for personal or social reasons, did not attend their appointment, have a medical condition which prevents treatment, or are awaiting treatment deemed to be highly specialised or of low medical priority. Availability status codes can also be applied on occasions of exceptional strain on the NHS.

National Health Service

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average length of time is that a patient with an availability status code has to wait for in-patient/day case treatment, broken down by speciality.

Mr Andy Kerr: The information requested is not available centrally.

National Health Service

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive in how many incidences patients have been given availability status code 9 on a waiting list, broken down by (a) NHS board area and (b) speciality affected.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Executive must authorise any proposed use of availability status code 9 on a waiting list. In the last year, authorisation has been given once, in response to a request from NHS Greater Glasgow following a major accident at a warehouse in the city in May 2004.

  Thirty-three patients had their planned in-patient/day case treatment, mainly in orthopaedics and plastic surgery, postponed and availability status code 9 applied. NHS Greater Glasgow report that all 33 patients have since been admitted for treatment.

National Park

Mr John Swinney (North Tayside) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it plans to revise the boundaries of the Cairngorms National Park.

Lewis Macdonald: There are no plans to revise the boundaries of the Cairngorms National Park. The Parliament approved the boundaries of the park on 12 December 2002. The area as designated has a strong coherent identity and a distinctive character. At some 3,800 sq kms, the park is the largest National Park in the UK and is amongst the largest in Europe.

Organ Donation

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that someone who donates an organ to another human being should, if they take time off from their employment, have annual leave deducted as a consequence.

Allan Wilson: Responsibility for matters relating to employment is reserved to the UK Government. I understand that leave entitlement is a matter of contractual agreement between the employer and employee, taking account of any relevant legislation. The granting of additional leave under exceptional circumstances is a discretionary matter for employers.

Organ Donation

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many organ transplant operations have been carried out in each of the last five years.

Mr Andy Kerr: The number of transplant operations carried out in Scottish units is set out in the table.

  

1999-2000
2000-01
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04


255
216
214
223
198



  Source: UK Transplant.

Organ Donation

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what estimate it has made of how many people carry organ donation cards.

Mr Andy Kerr: It is not possible to provide the information requested, as people are not required to register their decision to carry an organ donor card.

Planning

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken to ensure that the planning system complies with the directive implementing the provisions of the Aarhus Convention once this comes into force.

Ross Finnie: The Executive is currently updating regulations concerning access to environmental information. We are also considering what changes may be required in respect of public participation, including to the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Scotland) Regulations 1999.

Planning

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many planning applications for telecommunication masts have been approved (a) in total and (b) broken down by local authority in each year since 1999.

Johann Lamont: Statistics on telecommunications developments have only been collected since the introduction of the new controls in July 2001. The following table provides the figures for planning applications for telecommunications infrastructure, including ground-based masts, additional antennas, roof-based masts and equipment housing for the period 23 July 2001 to 30 June 2004.

  Completion of the returns by planning authorities is voluntary, therefore a number of gaps appear in the returns.

  

Planning Authority
No. of Telecommunication Developments Approved


Aberdeen
73


Aberdeenshire
79


Angus
41


Argyll and Bute*
85


Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar
35


Clackmannanshire*
9


Dumfries and Galloway
88


Dundee
28


East Ayrshire
44


East Dunbartonshire
41


East Lothian*
36


East Renfrewshire
26


Edinburgh*
243


Falkirk*
24


Fife
101


Glasgow*
0


Highland*
72


Inverclyde
17


Midlothian
27


Moray
36


North Ayrshire*
22


North Lanarkshire*
79


Orkney*
0


Perth and Kinross
74


Renfrewshire
77


Scottish Borders
81


Shetland*
6


South Ayrshire
54


South Lanarkshire*
117


Stirling
37


West Dunbartonshire
15


West Lothian
53


Scotland 
1,720



  Note: *Denotes at least one missing or incomplete return.

Planning

Frances Curran (West of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what planning consents are required for the erection of Global System for Mobile Telecommunications (GSM-R) masts by Network Rail.

Johann Lamont: I refer the member to the answer to S2W-10263, on 16 September 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Planning

Frances Curran (West of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what public consultations have been undertaken by Network Rail for the proposed erection of Global System for Mobile Telecommunications (GSM-R) masts on Network Rail property.

Nicol Stephen: Whilst Network Rail is not obliged to undertake formal consultation regarding operational developments on its railway land, it has notified all local planning authorities of the details of the GSM-R project and the locations of the new masts. Additionally, Network Rail has agreed that it will write to elected members with an interest in each mast and undertake a mail drop to residents in affected areas, in advance of works.

Planning

Frances Curran (West of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the criteria are under which permitted development rights are allowed.

Johann Lamont: The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (Scotland) Order 1992 (the GPDO), grants a general planning permission (or permitted development right) for a variety of developments. These developments are either minor or uncontentious in nature or are required in relation to existing land uses and would be likely to be granted planning permission.

  Schedule 1 to the GPDO sets out the 72 different classes of permitted development rights and individual restrictions and conditions on those rights.

  Permitted development rights may be restricted in individual cases and a planning application required as a result. For example, most conservation areas, designated under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997, are subject to directions under the GPDO which specify restrictions on classes of permitted development rights particular to the individual conservation area. The Conservation (Natural Habitat, &c.) Regulations 1994 contain restrictions on permitted development rights within designated Natura Sites where a development would adversely affect the integrity of the site. Also, where a project required environmental impact assessment under the planning provisions of the Environmental Impact Assessment (Scotland) Regulations 1999, then the permitted development rights would not apply and a planning application would be required.

Police

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that Grampian Police receives a share of funding which adequately reflects the extra duties it must carry out to police the offshore industry and the royal estate at Balmoral.

Cathy Jamieson: Yes. The new allocation methodology which I announced in October 2004 for police grant aided expenditure was based on an analysis of all policing activity in each Scottish police force.

Police

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the review of police grant aided expenditure will have on Glasgow.

Cathy Jamieson: The new formula takes account of a range of pressures, including city centre policing. Between 2004-05 and 2007-08, grant aided expenditure for Strathclyde Police will increase by around 15.5%. However, the allocation of these resources between Glasgow and other parts of the force area is a matter for the Chief Constable.

Police

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the new formula for police funding will provide additional resources for policing in Glasgow city centre.

Cathy Jamieson: The new allocation methodology agreed following the review of police grant aided expenditure applies to police forces as a whole. Between 2004-05 and 2007-08, grant aided expenditure for Strathclyde Police will increase by around 15.5% (or £69 million) to £513 million. The allocation of these additional resources between Glasgow city centre and other parts of the force area is then a matter for the Chief Constable.

Public Sector Pay

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has issued to Scottish Enterprise in respect of any pay negotiations with representatives of staff employed in Careers Scotland.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Executive’s position on public sector pay is set out in its annual guidance. A copy of Public Sector Pay in 2004-05: Guidance for Scottish Public Sector Pay Groups was sent to Scottish Enterprise in April 2004 as well as being made available on the Executive’s website. There is no separate guidance on pay negotiations. As an Executive NDPB, Scottish Enterprise has full responsibility for conducting its own pay negotiations, within the terms of a pay remit agreed beforehand by Scottish ministers.

Public Sector Pay

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish details of any performance bonus scheme operated by Scottish Enterprise in respect of employees in Careers Scotland.

Mr Jim Wallace: This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise.

Public Sector Pay

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what bonus payments were made to Careers Scotland management and staff in each of the last three years broken down by grade.

Mr Jim Wallace: This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

Public Sector Pay

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is a national pay structure for all management and staff employed by Careers Scotland.

Mr Jim Wallace: No. Careers Scotland staff are employed by either Scottish Enterprise or Highlands and Islands Enterprise. Pay is determined by the structure established by each organisation.

Public Sector Pay

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make a ministerial statement on the industrial dispute between Scottish Enterprise and UNISON in respect of performance-related pay and associated issues.

Mr Jim Wallace: No. As an executive NDPB, Scottish Enterprise has full responsibility for conducting its pay negotiations within the terms of a pay remit agreed beforehand by Scottish ministers.

Public Sector Pay

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied with the approach adopted by Scottish Enterprise in its industrial dispute with UNISON in respect of performance-related pay and associated issues.

Mr Jim Wallace: As an executive Non-Departmental Public Body, it is for Scottish Enterprise to determine how it conducts its pay negotiations with the unions. I understand that there is still scope for negotiation on several aspects of the pay award and I have encouraged all parties to continue discussion with a view to achieving a satisfactory outcome.

Rail Network

Gordon Jackson (Glasgow Govan) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its role is, and what its future role will be, as a public member of Network Rail.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive is currently a public member of Network Rail. Members have a duty to act in the best interests of Network Rail and perform a corporate governance role. This includes reviewing the performance of Network Rail against its commercial and other targets, as well as against railway industry benchmarks for the provision, maintenance and management of the railway infrastructure.

  As a member, the Executive does not make strategic decisions on behalf of the company but collectively members can hold the board to account for its management of Network Rail.

  In light of the conclusions of the UK Government review of rail, Scottish ministers will in future have an extended role with regard to rail infrastructure in Scotland. The Executive’s role as a public member is not anticipated to change.

Rail Network

Gordon Jackson (Glasgow Govan) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to include Network Rail within the statutory responsibilities of the Scottish Information Commissioner.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive has no plans to bring Network Rail within the scope of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002. However, Network Rail is required to provide information to the Office of Rail Regulation about its public functions. Such information is held by the Office of Rail Regulation and may be subject to release under the Freedom of Information Act.

Renewable Energy

Shiona Baird (North East Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to Renewables Obligation – Ofgem’s first annual report: February 2004 , why there is a planned reduction in hydro-electric output of up to 60mw.

Mr Jim Wallace: Only hydro schemes with a declared net capacity of up to 20 MW in size are eligible for support under the Renewables Obligations. A number of hydro schemes were down-rated in order to be eligible for such assistance; the decision to do so was a matter for the generators concerned. Down-rating does not necessarily mean that output will also reduce.

Roads

Alasdair Morgan (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much additional resources will be allocated in real terms to help reduce the backlog in roads maintenance in each year from 2006-07 to 2007-08, broken down by local authority.

Nicol Stephen: An additional £60 million per year has been allocated in 2006-07 and 2007-08 to help local authorities address the backlog of maintenance on the local road network. In real terms this represents £57 million and £55.5 million respectively, based on 2004-05 prices. Allocations to individual authorities will be announced in due course.

Social Services

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many direct payments have been made by each local authority in (a) 2002-03 and (b) 2003-04.

Rhona Brankin: The information asked for is contained in the following table:

  Number of Recipients of Direct Payments, year to 31 March

  

Local Authority
2002-03
2003-04


Aberdeen City
11
40


Aberdeenshire
11
19


Angus
30
32


Argyll and Bute
0
29


Clackmannanshire
18
23


Dumfries and Galloway
27
39


Dundee City
0
9


East Ayrshire
17
25


East Dunbartonshire
0
1


East Lothian
7
13


East Renfrewshire
0
2


Edinburgh, City of
89
120


Eilean Siar
5
4


Falkirk
0
19


Fife
120
190


Glasgow City
15
26


Highland
43
55


Inverclyde
0
0


Midlothian
0
4


Moray
7
17


North Ayrshire
0
19


North Lanarkshire
11
18


Orkney Islands
1
16


Perth and Kinross
19
20


Renfrewshire
3
7


Scottish Borders
50
87


Shetland Islands
0
4


South Ayrshire
31
32


South Lanarkshire
0
4


Stirling
0
8


West Dunbartonshire
0
13


West Lothian
19
17


Scotland
534
912



  Source: SEHD annual survey of direct payments.

  The information can also be found on the SE website:

  Direct Payments Scotland 2004 (Table 8):

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00370-00.asp.

  Direct Payments, 2003 (Table 1):

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00294-00.asp.

Social Services

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how direct payments will be promoted and developed, given that funding for Direct Payments Scotland will cease in March 2006.

Rhona Brankin: Direct Payments Scotland is a time limited project that was extended to ensure that maximum support could be offered to certain disabled groups who were originally eligible for direct payments. The Executive also funds the Scottish Personal Assistants Employers Network (SPAEN) to assist those who wish to employ their own workers through a direct payment. The intention now is to make direct payments available to all community care groups and support will be offered to the relevant organisations to make this possible e.g. to older peoples’ organisations for roll out to older people.

Speech and Language Therapists

Alex Fergusson (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when, and how, it will monitor and evaluate emerging skill mix and pay bands within speech and language therapy services at divisional, board, regional and national levels to ensure that patients receive the same quality and quantity of safe clinical care regardless of where they live and which care group they fall into.

Mr Andy Kerr: In terms of speech and language therapist pay bands this, in conjunction with all aspects of the job evaluation process, will be monitored by the Job Evaluation Working Party, reporting to the Shadow Executive of the new NHS Staff Council. This monitoring will be supported by CAJE, the new Computer Aided Job Evaluation system.

  In Scotland informed evidence from this system will be gathered by the Pay Modernisation Team for Agenda for Change and reported to the Scottish Pay Reference and Implementation Group, a partnership body set up to advise Scottish ministers on the implementation of Agenda for Change.

  Under the Agenda for Change job evaluation process staff will be evaluated on their current jobs and assigned to pay bands based on the weighting the job achieves. This will not in itself alter the existing skill mix for speech and language therapists. Over time, there could be changes to the skill mix for this profession as a result of service change and development. The profession will be involved in any discussion that takes place in this matter.

Speed Limits

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the Lord Advocate’s guidelines are with regard to the level of speed at which speed limits are enforced for (a) enforcement action and (b) court proceedings.

Colin Boyd QC: The Lord Advocate’s Guidelines on the Operation of Police Conditional Offers of Fixed Penalty, that contain instructions on the relevant thresholds for speeding offences, are confidential. It would not be in the public interest for those who are intent on driving in excess of the speed limit to know at what levels and in what way the various speed limits are enforced. The guidelines do not set hard and fast rules, but allow for downward variation of thresholds for action by local agreement between Area Procurators Fiscal and Chief Constables where there are particular issues of road safety. It could therefore be misleading to motorists if normal thresholds were published, since these local agreements allow for enforcement at lower speeds.

Sport

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to promote the growth of girls’ and women’s football.

Ms Patricia Ferguson: The Executive is committed to increasing opportunities for girls and women to take part in sport generally. Since 1997-98,  sportscotland has invested in excess of £1 million of Exchequer and Lottery funding, including £400,000 towards supporting the Scottish Women’s Football Association’s current four-year development plan. Implementation of the Action Plan for Youth Football will deliver a step change in the development of women’s and girls’ football, which will also benefit from the investment in Active Schools.

Student Finance

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is regarding allowances for disabled students studying with the Open University in order to assist them with attending tutorials.

Mr Jim Wallace: Students studying with Open University are defined as distance learners in relation to student support. Eligible full-time, part-time and distance learning students who incur additional expenditure whilst undertaking their course because of their disability can apply for additional support in the form of a Disabled Students Allowance (DSA). The DSA comprises a yearly basic allowance of £1,525 and a non-medical personal help allowance of £11,550. These allowances are paid on a pro-rata basis to those studying part-time or by distance learning. A further allowance of up to £4,565 for the purchase of major items of equipment is available for the duration of the course. Help with the cost of travel may also be provided where the student incurs additional costs as a result of their disability.

  The non-medical personal help allowance and help with the cost of travel (for both the student and their helper if required) are available to distance learning students for attendance at tutorials and summer schools which form a compulsory part of the course.

  Following the review of Funding of Learners, the Disabled Students Stakeholder group was established to consider and address issues relating to the support available for disability related additional needs in further and higher education. The Open University disability adviser has recently joined the group.

Supporting People

Mike Pringle (Edinburgh South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what factors were applied in determining the redistribution of Supporting People funding.

Malcolm Chisholm: (1) The allocation methodology is based on a formula composed of indicators that reflect the key client groups which are intended to benefit from the Supporting People programme and for which data of a sufficient quality is available. The formula is composed of four elements (a) the number of elderly people in the local authority area; (b) the number of people with disabilities; (c) the number of homelessness allocations (averaged over a three year period), and (d) the degree of deprivation.

  (a) The number of elderly people in the local authority area was calculated using the population of 65 years and over as at mid-year 2003. This contributed 30% toward the formula allocation.

  (b) The number of people with disabilities was calculated using the number of people receiving Disability Living Allowance as at February 2004. This contributed 20% toward the formula allocation.

  (c) The number of homelessness applications (averaged over a three year period) was calculated from the number of applications under the homelessness persons legislation by local authority using an average of the 2001-02, 2002-03 and 2003-04. This contributed 30% toward the formula allocation.

  (d) The degree of deprivation was calculated using the population in the worst 15% of data zones by the 2004 Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation. This contributed 20% toward the formula allocation.

  (2) The formula distributes resources more fairly against relative need across Scotland. To help those authorities in the transition to the new arrangements the minister has set limits to the maximum reduction that any authority will face for each of the three year of this spending round with over £16 million of transitional support for those most affected by the redistribution formula.

  (3) However, discussions with COSLA on the speed of redistribution are continuing. We expect to be able to make a new announcement in due course.

Supporting People

Mike Pringle (Edinburgh South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide the data, broken down by local authority area, which was used in the calculation of how the redistribution of Supporting People funding was carried out.

Malcolm Chisholm: The data requested is held in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 34277) named Supporting People allocations .

  The formula distributes resources more fairly against relative need across Scotland. To help those authorities in the transition to the new arrangements the minister has set limits to the maximum reduction that any authority will face for each of the three year of this spending round with over £16 million of transitional support for those most affected by the redistribution formula.

  However, discussions with COSLA on the speed of redistribution are continuing. We expect to be able to make a new announcement in due course.

Teachers

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to news release SEed237/2003 on 10 June 2003 on its teacher induction scheme, how many of the probationer teachers referred to completed their initial teacher education course in Scotland.

Peter Peacock: All of the probationer teachers referred to in news release SEed237/2003 completed their initial teacher education course in Scotland.

Teachers

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many Scottish students studying initial teacher education in England and Wales gained employment in Scotland in the year immediately following the completion of their course.

Peter Peacock: This information is not held centrally.

Teachers

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any restrictions exist for newly-qualified teachers gaining a probationer position in Scotland who completed their initial teacher education in England and Wales, as compared to those who completed their initial teacher education in Scotland.

Peter Peacock: Yes; only teachers who have graduated from Scottish Higher Education Institutions with a Teaching Qualification whose training has been publicly funded are eligible for a probationer post on the Teacher Induction Scheme. However, the Teacher Induction Scheme is not the only route into the teaching profession in Scotland. Newly qualified teachers from England and Wales, once registered with the General Teaching Council for Scotland, can apply to local authorities to work as a probationer teacher on a supply basis or on a temporary contract.

Waste Management

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will make an announcement on the outcome of its deliberations on the application for planning permission from Eden Waste Ltd for a landfill site near Greengairs in Lanarkshire.

Ms Johann Lamont: This application was considered at a public local inquiry and the Scottish ministers advised all parties, on 5 February 2004, that they were minded to accept the reporters’ recommendation that planning permission should be granted. Whilst every effort will be made to reach an early decision it is not possible to say, at this stage, when a final announcement will be made. This is dependent on the satisfactory conclusion of a legal agreement between the applicant and North Lanarkshire Council which requires the applicant to provide a bond covering the eventual removal of buildings and restoration of the site.

Water Environment and Water Services (Scotland) Act 2003

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made with regard to designating responsible authorities and their functions under sections 2(6) and (8) of the Water Environment and Water Services (Scotland) Act 2003.

Lewis Macdonald: The Executive has begun the process of identifying possible responsible authorities and discussing the duties and implications of designation for those bodies. We propose to issue a discussion paper to all the relevant bodies and aim to lay the designation order before Parliament during 2005.

Water Fluoridation

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish its response to the consultation on children’s oral health Towards Better Oral Health in Children and whether it will indicate its position on compulsory water fluoridation.

Mr Andy Kerr: The outcome of our consultation on measures to improve the oral health of children in Scotland will be announced as soon as we have completed our consideration of the many responses we have received.

  As previously stated, the Executive is neutral on the subject of water fluoridation, pending the outcome of the consultation.